“He has no forces”, Kiir tells visiting AU diplomat of Machar

JUBA — President Salva Kiir Mayardit has told visiting African Union delegation that the graduation of forces will wait, claiming First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny has promoted all his forces into officers.

This, Kiir said, details the efforts of the transitional government to graduate the unified forces provided for in the revitalised peace agreement and will have to wait until when the parties resolve the issue.

“His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic met with a delegation of African Union Peace and Security Council headed by Ambassador Jean Njeri Kamau, Permanent Representative of Kenya to the AU,” the presidency said in a statement.

According to the statement, Kiir “told the AU delegation that he is doing his utmost best to implement the Revitalized Peace Agreement however, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) continues to impose numerous sanctions on individuals and entities which may frustrate the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement and the developmental projects in the Country.

“President Salva Kiir Mayardit therefore, urged the African Union to stand firm and take lead to defend African Countries from being sanctioned unnecessarily by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

“President Salva Kiir Mayardit said, the Unified Forces are trained and ready for the graduation, however other opposition forces have promoted all their soldiers to officers leaving no soldiers for the officers to command, and this may delay the graduation of the Unified Forces because it is hindering the formation of command structure.

“President narrated that in any military structures. the organisation of the ranks start from the bottom to top, But for the opposition they decided to start from the top to bottom.”